Our Man in Paris is Ric Erickson, editor of MetropoleParis. Here is his account of how November ended in Paris. Here in Hollywood, seventy-three and no clouds, just a milky haze all
day, and palm trees and all that.

Goodbye
November

PARIS - Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Just because it's cold outside is no excuse for not covering Paris, but
I put off going out as long as possible. A good thing too because it is damp and humid, with a breeze that slices, and the
sky looks like torn nylons. It is almost dark in the afternoon, with the fallen leaves looking like pieces of eight, now worthless
in our plastic age.

Outside the door, the Toyota veteran of the Dakar, for the days of January sun in the Sahara,
racing to the beach of Senegal. There's more Africa on the Morris column up at Maine. Another animal movie for the kids on
their Christmas holidays. The avenue itself is bitter with the wind blowing up from the Porte d'Orléans. I cross from the
police station to the unemployment office and find a new poster on the bus stop. 'Le Tigre et la Neige' is another kids' film,
by Roberto Benigni, wearing wings and white shorts.

There's so much Africa out here that I slip into the boulangerie
where other people are taking refuge in the smells of bread, with the cakes filling in with their candy for the eyes. Then
down Daguerre where the wind can't find itself and there's a crowd in the café, warming itself at the cold bar, not bothering
with the oysters out front. In half an hour it has gone from dim to dark but the horse players care not at all. The Joe is
standing outside the Poste, opening the door for tips, and I pass him a euro, thankful that I can walk home as fast as I want.

Outside the door, the
Toyota veteran of the Dakar -

... up at Maine (four
in the afternoon) -

... the cakes filling
in with their candy for the eyes -

... Daguerre where the
wind can't find itself and there's a crowd in the café -